She was born on January 1, 1968, in the village of Dolon in the Tyup district. Together with her husband, they raised five sons. Nurkamal actively produces various items in collaboration with other craftswomen.
“I worked for 37 years as an elementary school teacher. The children always took an interest in creating something with their own hands. I taught them to craft from paper and various materials suitable for their age,” shared her experience Nurkamal aiym.
Throughout her teaching career, she accumulated many vivid memories of her students. One such story goes like this:
“I worked with little children who have very pure and sincere hearts. They shared funny stories about their homes. Once, one of the students explained why he hadn’t done his homework: his father had guests at home. When asked why he hadn’t studied in the morning, he replied that the table was set for the guests, so he couldn’t work on math. This made me laugh a lot. Working with children is amazing; I still remember their funny antics,” she recounted.
Gallery: Nurkamal Turdumambetova.
After retiring, Nurkamal continued to work as a teacher for another six years, and last year she finally concluded her career.
“My neighbors and I decided that we wouldn’t sit idle in retirement and would start engaging in handicrafts. My interest in this craft came from my parents: my mother was a craftswoman, and my father worked as a carpenter. Therefore, handicrafts have been close to me since childhood,” she noted.
Nurkamal creates olpokis, shyrdaks, and various souvenirs, which she showcases at fairs and exhibitions.
“We work together with fellow villagers, support each other, and spend our time interestingly and productively. We try to use high-quality clean wool that we purchase. It is very beneficial for health, and the products made from it are natural and pure,” she added.
Nurkamal also passes on her skills to her granddaughter, as she does not have a daughter:
“My granddaughter, who is only 8 years old, is very interested in handicrafts and is already creating something on her own. I want to take her with me and teach her the secrets of my craft.”
Among her sons, the eldest has taken the path of making various metal items.
Nurkamal's products range from 800 to 20,000 soms, and among her clients are foreigners.
“Foreigners usually buy felt seat cushions. At the last fair in Karakol, tourists from India purchased such cushions for 800 soms,” she concluded.
